DK2339069T3

DK2339069T3 - MODULE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A ROAD OR WALKING ROAD ON A WATER ROAD

Info

Publication number: DK2339069T3
Application number: DK10075756.6T
Authority: DK
Inventors: Luc Maes
Original assignee: Arch Maes Luc Bvba
Priority date: 2009-12-23
Filing date: 2010-12-17
Publication date: 2016-08-15
Also published as: RS54955B1; PT2339069T; PL2339069T3; HUE030283T2; HRP20160926T1; CY1117939T1; EP2339069A3; EP2339069A2; EP2339069B1; SI2339069T1; ES2581661T3; BE1019124A3

Description

1

Module for the Construction of a Road or a Footpath on a Watercourse Technical area

The present invention relates to road construction. In particular, this invention concerns a module permitting the construction of a path on a ditch or a stream. Furthermore, this invention concerns a path constructed by the using of several modules and a method for constructing a road with the aid of several modules. This invention applies especially in the case of constructing bicycle paths and/or footpaths but the invention is not limited to these applications.

Prior art

Notwithstanding the problems known in the energy market such as the scarcity and the cost of energy, mobility continues to grow, causing the creation of bottlenecks on roads with increasing losses for the economy. At the same time there is a growing interest for light transport means which are less intrusive on the road and which consume little or no energy such as bicycles, motorbikes, scooters, etc. This causes an increasing demand for paths adapted to these light vehicles. For safety reasons these paths are preferably separate from roads where the automobile traffic is normally present. The scarcity of available space means a more and more costly and different construction which is even impossible for these light vehicle paths.

The present invention has the problem of realizing new roads in an easier and more economical manner. This problem is solved by using the existing infrastructure of ditches, streams, small canals and currents of water, etc.

The using of this infrastructure for the construction of roads using the casing of ditches, streams, etc. is already known. Flowever, this casing has certain disadvantages. The casing of a current of water requires a lot of manual labor and is expensive. Ditches and streams serve for the natural draining of soils and a direct flow as is no longer possible after encasement. This disadvantage is often compensated by putting in place a supplementary drainage system which also means increased expense.

Moreover, one of the objectives of the present invention is to improve the functioning of ditches and of currents of water with the aid of a module which slows the flow of water 2 in ditches and streams, creating at the same time a buffer reservoir which allows a large quantity of water to be stored. However, the present invention can also be applied to existing drainage systems, in particular to drainage systems which bring about a separate evacuation of rainwater and of wastewater. Creating drainage with the aid of the modules according to the invention can create a very extended drainage basin buffer which can also store a large quantity of water.

Explanation of the invention

Using the module of the invention not only avoids the above-cited disadvantages but also achieves a certain number of supplementary advantages. Thus, the maintenance of ditches become simpler and less expensive and in addition the module permits the providing of one or more gutters which can house utility conduits. Moreover, a better treatment of the water is obtained due to a systematic separation of the discharge of rainwater and of wastewater. Moreover, this invention favors the infiltration of rainwater into the ground. It also achieves a saving of space due to the combined usage of space: the same space is used for a ditch as well as for a path. Moreover, as mentioned above, an improvement of the storage of water to be evacuated is also obtained. The same advantages can also be obtained by the application of the invention to an existing drainage system or to the creation of a new drainage system. The possibility of a better use of the available space is also created by the present invention by creating, for example separate road systems for the use by common transports.

The objective of the invention is obtained by a module or a method such as described in the independent claims; other particular embodiments are described in the dependent claims.

One objective of the invention is to make available a module suitable for the construction of a road and/or of a footpath; the module comprises a ditch element suited for being placed in a ditch or a watercourse where the ditch or the watercourse already exists or should still be realized and where the water of the ditch or of the watercourse flows in the element put in place. The module furthermore comprises a covering element closing the upper part of the ditch element and thus forms a road and/or a footpath. The covering element comprises at least one permeable part and an elevated 3 zone which serves for the protection of the users of the road and/or of the footpath. The ditch element comprises a filtration device. The ditch element can contain at least one separate channel for receiving the rainwater.

The ditch element can comprise one or more partitions. The filtering element can comprise a filtering fabric.

The ditch element and the covering element can form a construction unit.

The covering element can be at least partially mobile relative to the ditch element.

The ditch element can be at least partially permeable in such a manner that the essential functions of the ditch or of the watercourse are at least partially retained.

The module can furthermore comprise at least one wait gutter capable of housing public utility conduits.

The covering element can comprise a rotary or rocking part at least on one side.

The invention also has as subject manner the supplying of a road or path constructed with the aid of several modules, wherein each module is as described above.

Another subject matter of the invention is to make a method available for the construction of a road and/or of a path by using modules as described above. The method consists of depositing one or more ditch elements into a ditch or into a watercourse; of placing a filtering device into one or more ditch elements and of covering the opening of the upper part of the ditch element or elements with one or several closing elements of which one or several parts of the closing element comprises an elevated surface.

Brief description of the figures

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a module according to the invention;

Figure 2 shows the different elements which can compose a module in another embodiment of the invention;

Figure 3 shows according to yet another embodiment of the invention a transversal section of a module provided with an elevating element for adjusting the height of the module in the passage walkways. 4

Figure 4 shows a detail of an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 5 shows the embodiment of figure 2 under normal conditions.

Detailed description.

The invention is described below such as it is applied to a ditch. However, the invention is not limited to this application but can also be applied to other navigable waterways such as streams, canals, etc. Moreover, the invention can even be applied to new ditches or streams to be made and also to drainage systems.

In the present description the verbs “composed of and “comprises” are not to be taken in the limiting sense. When, in the description it is stated that the object or the body A is composed of the elements B and C, then this object or body A can also comprise other elements aside from elements B and C.

In the present description and the attached claims the term ditch should be understood not only as an existing open ditch but the word “ditch” also comprises an old ditch which was encased and a ditch which is still to be realized. The same thing applies to the words “stream”, “canal”, “watercourse”, etc.

The term ditch can also be defined as the bed of a sewer line. The words “ditch”, “stream”, “canal”, “watercourse”, are to be interpreted in the broadest sense.

Ditches normally fulfill several essential functions: - They collect surface waters; -They transport the collected water in a slowed-down manner (often due to the vegetation in the ditch) or not; -They allow the water to infiltrate into the ground in accordance with the nature of the subsoil.

Fig. 1 shows a perspective of a first embodiment of the invention in which an exploded view of the module is displayed. The module is composed by a first part (1) which has a trapezoidal section and its upper part is open. This element, called the ditch element, must be placed in the ditch. The free space between the ditch element and the existing or excavated ditch must be filled with appropriate material (for example, sand, gravel or some other suitable filling material). Furthermore, the module is composed by a covering element (2) which closes the upper part of the ditch element and can therefore 5 be used entirely or partially as a road or footpath. The two elements can be manufactured from concrete but any other suitable material can also be used (recycled concrete, composite material, manufactured elements such as steel, concrete asphalt covering). The ditch element and the covering element each have a certain length which facilitates the handling or the transport. An appropriate length is, for example 2 m but other lengths are possible. One or several partitions (3) are provided in the ditch element. These partitions fulfill several functions: as abutments against the lateral walls of the ditch element in order to resist lateral forces, as supplementary support for the covering element in the case of larger spans, in order to realize a deceleration of the flowing water, which favors a local infiltration. This latter characteristic of partitioning can be very significant during excessive rain and can therefore reduce the risk of flooding. In fact, in a normal case a ditch which drains rainwater during heavy precipitations can cause flooding downstream. The partitions form successive reservoirs which can store rainwater in such a manner that the transport of the rainwater is retarded, which reduces the risk of flooding downstream. The ditch can function as a reservoir or a buffer reservoir. One or several wait gutters (4, 5, 6) can be provided in the ditch element, for example on one or two sides and/or in the middle of the ditch element in which all types of public utility conduits (electricity, telephone, communication cables, of gas, of liquids except gel, etc.) can be placed.

In a particular embodiment a separate channel is provided on at least one of the sides of the ditch element which serves for the evacuation of rainwater. The separate channels can be permeable so that the water coming from the outside of the channel can be evacuated toward the underlying part of the ditch element. The rhomboid openings visible in fig. 1 on the side of the ditch element allow the ditch water to infiltrate into the ground or vice versa and the subterranean water can be drained through the same openings in the direction of the ditch element. These elements can also have a different shape such as a circular shape, the shape of a slot, etc.

The covering element (2) can be constituted by a single piece. In the example illustrated in fig. 1 the covering element exists in three parts, two lateral parts and one central part. These parts can comprise: a. An elevated part (10), normally located at the side of the route reserved for 6 heavy traffic which serves as protection for the users of the road system above the ditch (first lateral element); b. A draining part (11) which allows the draining of the water towards the ditch element (second lateral part) in fig. 1, which two parts 10 and 11 are raised up and draining, but other combinations are possible; c. The part actually adapted to the traffic and to pedestrians (the central part 12).

The elevated part has a multiple function: it marks the route, it serves as warning bands between, for example, vehicles and cyclists (by making the elevated zone with a particular profile the car drivers leaving the route will be informed) and the draining grill formed in this manner will remain free of dirt, waste and leaves. A covering element with only one lateral part or no lateral parts is also possible. In the preferred embodiment the two lateral parts (10, 11) are permeable but a version with a single draining lateral part is also possible.

The number of elements composing the covering element is not important for the invention. For a person skilled in the art it is clear that the covering element can be manufactured in a single piece but just as well in two, three or more pieces.

In addition to a trapezoidal section of the ditch element other sections are possible, such as a transversal V section, a transversal U section, a section (see fig. 3) consisting of a V shape (31) with a raised piece (32), etc.

In the model with a central wait gutter (6) a rail can be provided at the location of this gutter which permits a camera to move for inspection. An overflow hole (26) can be provided in the partitions and under the central wait gutter.

According to a preferred embodiment the module is provided with a wait gutter - a central wait gutter - placed in the central part of the ditch element and one or two other wait gutters - the lateral wait gutters - which are located on the sides of the central part. Public conduits can be placed in the wait gutters.

One or two separate lateral channels serve for the flow of rainwater through the permeable element. 7

The cover element can be manufactured in a single piece. In the case of the embodiment of figures 2, 3 and 4 the covering element is formed with three integrated components namely, two lateral parts (20, 21) and one central part (22), which lateral parts are fitted into the central part where they should be placed by a rotary or rocking movement. This implementation allows the separate, underlying channels to be inspected.

In fig. 2 the ditch element itself is composed by three parts, in particular a lower part (27) and two upper parts (28), each with a separate channel. Furthermore, each upper part can be composed by a single piece or be constructed with several elements. These constructions bring it about that the ditch element can be readily handled and transported. It is also possible to provide certain special pieces (fig. 3, element 32) whose height can vary from one end of the module to the other end of the module. Therefore, it is possible to overcome slight differences of level, for example, when the road system or the bicycle path crosses the access to a house or a garage.

Fig. 4 shows a detailed scheme of a separate channel with openings 41 in the covering element and the opening 42 in the wall between the separate channel and the central part. These openings allow water to flow from the outside toward the inside of the ditch element so that the natural drainage of the ditch by the ditch elements remains maintained. Although only a single opening is shown in this scheme it is clear that these openings 41, 42 are repeated in the longitudinal axis in such a manner that the water can rapidly flow into the separate channel. A filtering device is preferably placed into the ditch element which allows the reentering water to be filtered. This filtering device can be realized by placing a first filtering fabric (43) into the angle between the ditch element and the covering element.

In a preferred embodiment the fabric (43) is arranged like an inner covering in one or two separate channels through which rainwater is filtered before the water reaches the central part of the ditch element. In this manner, for example, mud, hydrocarbons, heavy metals and other chemical products are eliminated from the entering water. The filtering fabric can be fixed by clamping between the covering element or a part of it (in the figure the draining part of the closing element) and the upper edge of the separate 8 channel. According to another preferred embodiment one or two lateral parts of the covering element is/are realized by a grill.

An adequate road or a path is realized on the upper surface by the placing of different modules which are assembled together. It is important that the essential functions of the ditch are retained by the construction with the different modules: the surface water is collected through the openings in the covering element in the wall of the separate channel, the assembled ditch elements can get rid of the collected water, the partitions can brake the discharge of the water and the infiltration of the water into the ground is maintained by virtue of the openings in the form of a rhombus in the lateral walls. These essential functions of the ditch can therefore be managed by the construction of the modules.

Two consecutive covering elements can be connected together by an appropriate locking system (for example, by an appropriate toothing). This prevents the circulation band from having offsets at the joints due to sagging. A lighting (for example, LED) can also be incorporated into the covering element.

Special modules can be provided which can be used in curves of the ditches. The special modules can have different lengths and can be manufactured for different arc angles. It is conceivable to provide standard elements for in principle realizing each curve.

According to a particular embodiment the section of the ditch element, possibly with separate channels, can be surrounded by a second filtering fabric (44), for example a geotextile in order to avoid the penetration of contaminants and of the earth by the subterranean water. This second filtering tissue can also serve as a supplementary filtering of the water of the ditch element which infiltrates into the soil. According to a particular embodiment the ditch element and the covering element, possibly with separate channels, then form a structural unit.

Fig. 5 shows a joining elbow (51) which allows public utility conduits to be joined to a nearby property.

It is also possible to imagine using ditches existing along highways for the construction of new bicycle paths. This has the advantage that such bike paths can be readily connected to the parallel existing routes or to other routes crossing the highway. 9 A better stability of the deck of the road located at the side of the ditch is also obtained by using the modules of the invention and the deformation of the sagging of the highway can be reduced or even completely eliminated. Moreover, the modules according to the invention can be used to realize property limits or to fix streetlights or other poles.

It is possible to realize footpaths, bicycle paths, parking places, roads suitable for motor vehicles or a combination of these different possibilities of implementation with the modules of the invention.

Another advantage of the invention consists in reducing the maintenance necessary for the ditch. In fact, given the absence of natural light the vegetation which is normally present in the ditch is stopped. Moreover, given the absence of waste, the food for all types of vermin disappears. The contaminants which normally pass with the rainwater into the ditch element and from there into the subterranean water are eliminated by the upkeep or replacement of the first filtering fabric (43). The invention can also be applied to ditches which were previously encased or to ditches which must still be dug.

As a particular example, it is possible to consider applying the invention in a parking area. In fact, in the case of a parking area the evacuation of rainwater poses a particular problem. The digging of drainage conduits and the placing of modules in accordance with the invention in these conduits can achieve an efficient drainage of the rainwater and a buffer reservoir can also be created which is capable of storing a great amount of water by the presence of partitions in the modules. In this manner, for example in the case of frequent rain an overloading of the sewer system is avoided and therefore the risk of flooding as well.

The invention is not limited to the combination of elements as indicated in different embodiments but the invention also comprises a combination of certain elements in an embodiment with elements of another embodiment. It is also obvious that different combinations of elements are possible for the construction of a module.

Claims

1 MODULE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A ROAD OR WALKING PATH OF A WATER PATENT REQUIREMENT

A module for the construction of a road or footpath, comprising: A trench element (1) adapted to be placed in a ditch or in a river where the ditch or watercourse already exists or is still being realized, and when the water in the trench or in the stream flows into the trench element when this has been placed; a cover member (2) which closes the upper portion of the trench member and thus forms a path and / or a footpath; wherein the tire member comprises at least one permeable member (10, 11) and the tire member comprises a raised zone (10, 11) which protects the users of the road and / or the footpath; and wherein the trench member comprises a filtration device

The module of claim 1, wherein the trench element comprises at least one separate groove for collecting the rainwater.

The module of claim 1 or 2, wherein the trench element comprises one or more partitions (3).

The module of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the filtration device comprises a filtration substance (43, 44).

The module of claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein the trench element and the cover element form a structural unit.

The module of claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein the cover member is at least partially movable relative to the trench member.

A module according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the trench element is at least partially permeable so that the essential functions of the trench or watercourse are at least partially maintained.

A module according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one drain channel capable of accommodating public supply lines.

A module according to any one of claims 1 to 4 or 6 to 8, wherein the cover element comprises at least one side of a rotating or rocking member. 2

A road or footpath constructed by a plurality of modules according to any one of the preceding claims.

A method of constructing a road and / or a footpath by means of modules according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising: Laying one or more trench elements in a ditch or in a stream; Laying down a filtration device in one or more trench elements; Covering the overall opening of one or more trench members with one or more cover elements, one or more cover elements comprising a raised portion (10, 11).